THE POWER OFCONTACT
Designing, Facilitating and Evaluating Social Mixing Activities
to Strengthen Migrant Integration and Social Cohesion
Between Migrants and Local Communities

A Review of Lessons Learned

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International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2021. The Power of “Contact”. Designing,
Facilitating and Evaluating Social Mixing Activities to Strengthen Migrant Integration andSocial Cohesion Between Migrants and Local Communities. A Review of Lessons Learned.
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THE POWER OFCONTACT
Designing, Facilitating and Evaluating Social Mixing Activities
to Strengthen Migrant Integration and Social Cohesion
Between Migrants and Local Communities

A Review of Lessons Learned

Developed within the framework of the

DISC INITIATIVEThe Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

Foreword
In a world of social distancing and growing concern about
rising inequalities, discrimination and xenophobia, social
integration is no longer just an issue associated with
migration. This topic is now of broader societal concern,
especially as societies reopen and communities gather once
again post-COVID.
While the pandemic has prompted widespread expressionsof solidarity from across the world, it has also compounded a
pre-existing culture of distrust, xenophobia and intolerance
towards minorities, including migrants. This aggravates migrants’ feelings of isolation andoverall leads to further exclusion – in multiple dimensions – from the rest of society. As
the leading migration agency, IOM is no stranger to responding to anxiety, concerns andfears associated with social change triggered by migration even prior to the pandemic. Thispublication provides some valuable insights in addressing this.
Rooted in the commitments enshrined in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration and the migration-related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
this publication provides key guidance, principles and recommendations on how to facilitatesocial mixing activities between newcomers and their new communities to support broader
goals of integration and social cohesion. It consolidates literature on intergroup contact
theory and leverages select IOM programming and evaluation experiences to provide abenchmark for designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating effective social mixing
approaches. While the primary audience for this publication are practitioners and project
managers working at the local level, the publication is also deeply relevant to other actors
working on national policies and decision-making activities aimed at strengthening solidarity
within the society.
At IOM, we recognize that the integration or social inclusion of migrants should not simply
be understood in terms of migrants’ service access or labour market integration. Holistic
migrant integration also involves the social and relational aspects – where “social mixing”
and positive contact between migrants and local communities is central. It is about ensuringthat wherever migrants are – be it in the workplace, in school, in shops or just aroundtheir neighbourhood – there are opportunities to connect and engage with other people.
These social interactions do not only nurture trust and mutually supportive relations in thecommunity but also contribute to efforts in reducing inequalities within the society.
I invite all of you to read this publication. I hope you will find it useful in your efforts tostrengthen the integration of migrants and foster cohesive societies.
In these trying times, we must not forget the “power of contact”.

António Vitorino
Director General
International Organization for Migrationii

FOREWORD

Contents
Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................................ v
Executive summary.............................................................................................................................................. vii
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................1
1.

What does the existing literature and evidence say about social mixing?............................52.

Developing effective and inclusive social mixing interventions..................................................7
2.1. Understanding and addressing barriers to participation....................................................82.2. Designing and implementing social mixing activities to build trustand empathy: Principles and recommendations ................................................................ 11
2.3. Identifying and communicating with target individuals and groups............................ 16

3.

Selected interventions and project examples ............................................................................... 17
3.1. Train and volunteer......................................................................................................................... 18
3.2. Create and perform........................................................................................................................ 20
3.3. Celebrate and play ......................................................................................................................... 223.4. Discover .............................................................................................................................................. 24
3.5. Learn and discuss ............................................................................................................................ 26

4.

Monitoring and evaluating intergroup contact activities .......................................................... 29
4.1. Why monitor? .................................................................................................................................. 30
4.2. Why evaluate? .................................................................................................................................. 30

5.

Conclusion: Moving from social mixing towards social cohesion.......................................... 33

Annexes.................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Annex 1.

Checklist for project managers and staff................................................................. 35

Annex 2.

Outcomes in scale and time in social mixing activities....................................... 37

Annex 3.

Relevant DISC Resources and About the Initiative............................................. 38

Bibliography............................................................................................................................................................ 39

THE POWER OF CONTACT

iii

Facilitating the meaningful social mixing of people of different backgrounds is anincreasingly important tenet of mainstream programming and policies aimed at promoting
migrant inclusion and broader social cohesion at the local, national and even global
levels. This guidance note aims to provide project managers and developers, as well as
event organizers and facilitators, with guidance in fostering migrant integration and social
cohesion through social mixing activities.
Through meaningful social mixing in both the face-to-face and digital worlds, migrants
and host communities can develop stronger positive social connections and foster peacefulcoexistence, allowing for a shift away from xenophobic and anti-migrant attitudes.

Syrian refugee children get ready for class at the Syrian Social
Gathering, a multiservice centre supported by IOM in Hatay,
Turkey. © IOM 2016/Muse MOHAMMED

Acknowledgements
Objective 16 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration focuses on“empower[ing] migrants and communities to realize full inclusion and social cohesion”. Oneof the key actions identified to achieve this objective is to “support multicultural activities
through sports, music, arts, culinary festivals, volunteering and other social events that will
facilitate mutual understanding and appreciation of migrant cultures and those of destination
communities”.
IOM’s growing integration and social cohesion programming is intended to facilitate this kindof meaningful social mixing in line with the actionable commitments of the Global Compact
for Migration. While many of these social mixing activities are part of the Organization’s
work on social cohesion related to displacement in transition and recovery context, they
have been increasingly used to promote social inclusion of newcomers arriving throughregular pathways of migration, such as labour migration or resettlement in emerging andtraditional countries of destination.
However, despite IOM’s growing work on integration and social cohesion over the years,
there have been limited efforts to provide more structured resources on how to design
more effective social mixing activities that draw on the wealth of academic literature on
intergroup contact and assessments of practical interventions in the field. As such, this note
was developed to further strengthen IOM’s programming and policy capacity in this area.
The idea for this resource document originated during the Workshop on Promoting Good
Relations: Enhancing IOM’s Social Cohesion Programming, which was held in Geneva,
Switzerland from 14 to 15 October 2019. This workshop was jointly organized by IOM’s
Labour Mobility and Human Development Division (LHD) and Transition and Recovery
Division (TRD) within the framework of IOM Joint Global Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion andSocial Cohesion (DISC) Initiative funded by the Migration Resource Allocation Committee(MIRAC). This workshop convened various IOM focal points working on integration andcohesion and academic experts on intergroup contact theory, with the aim of developinga more systematic approach to design and evaluate the impact of activities in promotingintergroup trust and good relations. The participating missions and participants at theworkshop provided their valuable inputs in brainstorming and laying the foundation for thisguidance note, and we would like to provide our highest acknowledgements to them.
We would like to express our thanks to the DISC team for leading this great effort, inparticular, to Jobst Koehler (Senior Integration and Migrant Training Specialist), Ace Dela
Cruz (DISC Project Coordinator) and Michael Newson (Regional Technical Specialist on
Labour Mobility and Human Development). This note would not have also been possible
without the support from IOM colleagues who dedicated their time to providing technicalinput, advice and contributions including but not limited to the following: Larissa Zier, Farid
Bhuyan, Andrea Morales Caceres, Oana Timofte, Elizabeth Wai, Paloma Noriega from LHD,
Katia Barrech from the Office of the Inspector General for her inputs in monitoring andevaluation, and Jason Aplon from TRD.

THE POWER OF CONTACTv

We would also like to thank Linda Tropp, professor of social psychology at the Universityof Massachusetts Amherst, for providing her valuable time, insights and expertise to thecreation to this note, and her dedication to intergroup relations and reducing prejudice.
Finally, we would like to dedicate this output to the migrants and members of local
communities who are involved in promoting good relations between communities – a key
foundation for an inclusive and cohesive society.

Marina Manke					Fernando Medina
Head						Head
Labour Mobility and 				Transition and Recovery Division
Human Development Divisionvi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Executive summary
Building upon the objective 16 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration, this document aims to provide project managers and developers, as well as event
organizers and facilitators, with guidance on how to facilitate social mixing activities between
newcomers and their new communities to support broader goals of migrant integrationand social cohesion. This note draws from a range of assessments conducted by IOM andother organizations involved in implementing intergroup contact activities, as well as theliterature on intergroup contact theory, which posits that increased interaction and mixingof people from different backgrounds can cultivate trust and decrease prejudice under theright circumstances. It makes key evidence-based recommendations that project managers
and event facilitators can leverage to ensure maximum positive impact of social mixing
activities.
The note recognizes that the broader environment and sociodemographic differences ofparticipating target groups can have a significant impact on the participation and successof social mixing interventions. As such, it recommends that project managers carry out
an analysis on the type of barriers that may impede participation. This analysis should alsoseek to identify the types of incentives that may motivate participation to ensure thatsocial mixing activities are well tailored towards target groups. Building trust and empathy
is a crucial component of effective social mixing. Project managers, event organizers andfacilitators should take care to ensure social mixing activities first establish trust and rapport
between participants from migrant and host community groups, and also facilitate thebuilding of positive and sustained social relations and mutual understanding.
The note identifies key principles and corresponding tips and recommendations that enableconditions for effective social mixing interventions:(a) Be fun and goal driven(e) Facilitate guided reflection(b) Promote equality
amid diversity(f) Provide trusted oversightand facilitation(c) Bolster mutual
appreciation of cultures(g) Support sustained andregular intervention(d) Encourage sharedownership between
participants(h) Ensure institutional
support and partnership

THE POWER OF CONTACTvii

Social mixing interventions are most effective when target participants and groups are
identified and activities are carefully tailored towards them. Monitoring and evaluation, inline with the IOM Project Handbook, is a key aspect of ensuring effectiveness, as it allows for
future iterations of programming to achieve its desired impact more closely.
Through meaningful social mixing in both the face-to-face and digital worlds, migrants andhost communities can develop stronger and more positive social connections, allowing fora shift away from xenophobic and anti-migrant attitudes.

International Migrants Day celebrations included painting
in Cairo, Egypt. © IOM 2016/Ingy MEHANNA

viii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction
Facilitating the meaningful social mixing of people of different backgrounds is an increasingly
important tenet of mainstream programming and policies aimed at promoting migrant
inclusion and broader social cohesion at the local, national and even global levels. AlthoughStates may have limited capacity to directly influence everyday social interactions anddetermine who people meet or mix with in everyday life, they can still do so indirectly. For
example, States have policy levers to encourage interactions between groups from different
backgrounds. States can often do so in two ways: firstly, by ensuring that migr hatay ants
are able to work and are part of neighbourhood planning; and secondly, by providing public
services, spaces and opportunities where all sectors of society can meet and mix. Many ofthese policies implicitly or explicitly draw on the premise that increased contact between
groups of different backgrounds will reduce prejudice, increase trust and eventually lead togreater social connectedness and cohesion.
Many integration and settlement frameworks also include targeted programmaticinterventions that more explicitly foster “social connections” between newcomers andreceiving communities, often with support of non-traditional partners, such as sports
associations, public libraries and arts councils. There is growing evidence that broader
institutional support can encourage positive relations between migrants and non-migrants
when used to integrate migrants and facilitate interactions between the two groups (Greenet al., 2020).
It is therefore not surprising that this particular area has also gained considerable traction inrecent global discussions and various global policy agendas, most notably the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular
Migration. The IOM Strategic Vision 2020 - 2024 also emphasizes the importance of linking
community cohesion to broader IOM programming to ensure a holistic approach to its
work and achieve positive outcomes for migrants.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

1

Social mixing and cohesion in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly
and Regular Migration
Objective 16 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration statesa clear commitment to “empower migrants and societies to realize full inclusionand social cohesion”. It emphasizes the need to “facilitate migrant participation [inthe receiving society]” (16f) and “support multicultural activities […] to facilitate
mutual understanding and appreciation of migrant cultures and those of destination
communities” (16h). Furthermore, this objective reinforces the importance ofpromoting intercultural dialogue at the local level by bringing in migrants associations,
diaspora organizations and mentorship programmes in order to “improve integration
outcomes and foster mutual respect” (16f).

IOM has designed and implemented social mixing activities as either a stand-alone intervention
or as part of a broader programmatic intervention aimed at migrant integration. In bothinstances, the intention is to promote positive social connections between migrants andcommunities. Positive social connections can shift xenophobic and anti-migrant attitudes,
thereby strengthening migrant integration and social cohesion in general. Within the context
of migrant integration, these activities have increasingly become a powerful tool to enhanceinteractions and good relations between migrants and local populations, as well as createa more welcoming environment for new arrivals. These interventions can be applied in avariety of thematic areas and contexts that lend themselves for bringing together people
from different backgrounds in a non-hierarchical and cooperative environment, in orderto reduce intergroup prejudice and build empathy between advantaged and disadvantaged
groups.1
Against the background of growing misinformation and public hostility against migrants, thedemand for interventions employing these kinds of “social mixing” activities are expected
to grow.
The purpose of this guidance note is to encourage project developers and managers tomove towards a more evidence-based and impactful design of social mixing activities by
incorporating research on intergroup contact theory (IGCT) and lessons learned fromassessments into their potential interventions. The note will first introduce the theoreticalfoundation of social mixing, explaining the key conditions identified by existing researchstudies as having the best chances of leading to positive outcomes for intergroup relations.
It will also highlight some of the potential barriers to participation in IGCT and ways of1

2

For further information, see Tropp and Barlow, 2018.

INTRODUCTION

overcoming them, as well as identify a set of core principles and corresponding practical
recommendations of how to incorporate these principles into the design and implementationof social mixing activities. The note will pinpoint/identify a number of conditions to aim forin order to promote successful intergroup relations, followed by a variety of intervention
examples from the field. Finally, lessons learned from the monitoring and evaluation of the
impact of those interventions will be provided, reinforcing its importance in the executionof social mixing interventions.

Social mixing in the age of “social” distancing
While public health safety measures around the world have impacted the manner inwhich intergroup activities are implemented, this does not mean they need to cease
altogether. Rather, they can inspire towards exploration of new and creative ways ofconceptualizing social mixing activities online.
Digital media platforms have become an essential tool in facilitating online interactions
within migrant communities and between their host communities. Even before the
COVID-19 pandemic, these are done through online
tandem language learning and interactive workshops
between migrants and host communities, as wellas various online mentorship schemes (via video The Power of Digitalization in the Age of Physical Distancing:
conference) between local mentors/volunteers andmigrants who are about to be resettled. Social media
platforms and websites also connect migrants with
their own diaspora networks in the same destination
country and further afield.
DISC INITIATIVEThe Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

Strengthening social connections and community cohesion throughthe digital inclusion and connectivity of migrants
DISC Digest 4th Edition

The fourth edition of the DISC Digest on
Digitalization provides some examples on how social
connections and activities to reduce prejudice andencourage positive attitudes towards migrants cantake place in a virtual format (IOM, 2020c).

THE POWER OF CONTACT

3

Much of IOM’s programming around social mixing and social cohesion has
been implicitly based on IGCT, which claims that when people from different
backgrounds meet and mix under the right circumstances, trust grows andprejudice declines across participating social groups.
Rooted in the field of social psychology, intergroup contact can be distinguishedfrom other approaches that target only one group at a time (such as interculturalor empathy trainings), public awareness-raising campaigns where interpersonal
contact is absent, or more problem-oriented interventions like intergroup dialogue
in protracted conflict situations.
Refugee children playing at the IOM transit centre in
Kathmandu, Nepal. © IOM 2009/Kari COLLINS

4

1. What does the existing

literature and evidence say
about social mixing?
Much of IOM’s programming around social mixing and social cohesion2 has been implicitly
based on IGCT, which claims that when people from different backgrounds meet and mix
under the right circumstances, trust grows and prejudice declines across participating socialgroups.
Rooted in the field of social psychology, intergroup contact can be distinguished from otherapproaches that target only one group at a time (such as intercultural or empathy trainings),
public awareness-raising campaigns where interpersonal contact is absent, or more problemoriented interventions like intergroup dialogue in protracted conflict situations.

IGCT was initially formulated by Robin
Williams in 1947 and significantly refined by
Key conditions for positive
Gordon W. Allport in 1954 and has sinceeffects of intergroupcontact (Allport):
been further supported and developed byother scholars. In more recent academic• Equal group status within theliterature on intergroup contact, there iscontact situation
ample empirical evidence that, if certain
conditions are met, positive contact between• Actively work towards common
individuals of different groups in society aregoal(s)more likely to improve relations between• Intergroup cooperation
those groups (Pettigrew and Tropp, 2006).
This is true across all settings, in all countries,• Support and sanctions by
and with various categories of out-group
authorities (or law or custom)(ethnicity, disability, sexuality, age). One of
the theoretical bases of this link is Allport’s
contact hypothesis, which establishes four conditions3 for positive intergroup experiences andoutcomes (Allport, 1954). On the contrary, contact situations experienced by participantsin a negative way usually deteriorate intergroup relations. Negative contact situations areeven assumed to have a bigger effect on intergroup relations than positive ones.
Research has also revealed that this positive effect of contact can be picked up
second‑hand – that is, if a friend had positive interactions with an out-group, then this also
affects the attitude towards that out-group of an individual despite differences (Schmid etal., 2012).

2

3

In conflict-affected areas and peacebuilding context, intergroup contact activities would focus not only on relationships
between migrants and receiving communities but also on relationships between non-migrant groups. Social cohesion
programming is broader in scope while social mixing activities, as used in this paper, is more specifically focused on addressing
relationship between migrants and receiving communities (see IOM, 2020b).
Intergroup contact literature has not yet come to a final agreement whether Allport’s conditions are indeed essential or
merely facilitating conditions (Paluck et al., 2019). Either way, anyone designing intergroup contact activities is well advised toget as close to these conditions as possible to ensure positive outcomes.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

5

Very often, migrants arrive and live in neighbourhoods that are characterized by preexisting structural inequalities and residential segregation, where opportunities to interact
are limited and stereotypes and distrust between social groups already exist. These
inequalities and segregation reinforce one another in a vicious cycle that triggers social
tensions and aggravates the situation of already disadvantaged groups.
The broader environment and sociodemographic differences of participants (in termsof age, language, gender, economic status, education and residence) have a significant
impact on participation and success of social mixing interventions. Understanding thesebarriers before designing and implementing interventions will ensure that social mixing
activities are well-targeted and can encourage equal and collaborative participation.
Art as a reintegration and recreation activity. Abidjan,
Côte d’Ivoire. © IOM 2019/Mohamed Aly DIABATÉ

6

2. Developing effective andinclusive social mixing
interventions

The structure below summarizes the key barriers, solutions, recommendations and target
groups for developing and implementing social mixing activities.

Barriers

Solutions• Individual-level barriers due to insufficientcapabilities and resources• Provide free or affordable activities that are accessible to allparticipating individuals and communities• Limited opportunities in the community• Identify and target underserved communities where there
have been little opportunities for social mixing• Cultural and motivational disconnect• Design the intervention to be relevant and appealing,targeted to demographic profiles and cultural backgrounds• Resistance to social mixing• Separate groups to build trust and tackle specific issues• Lack of buy-in from institutions and leaders• Consult, communicate and partner with local leaders andorganizations• Exclusionary organizational culture• Foster a welcoming and inclusive organizational culture for allparticipantsCore principles for social mixing• Fun and goal-driven to create a welcoming and collaborative environment• Equality amid diversity to ensure participants encounter each other at eye level• Mutual appreciation to allow participants to understand and appreciate each other’s cultures• Shared ownership to increase buy-in and open new opportunities for engagement• Guided reflection to faciliate a more trusting, friendly and warm atmosphere• Trusted oversight and faciliation to create an inclusive environment for everyone• Sustained and regular interaction for long-term participation• Institutional support and partnership to provide resources and incentives for strengthened intergroup relations

Types of interventions• Training and volunteering through sports activities and community volunteering• Create and perform through visual and performing arts
• Celebrate and play through sharing customs, important holidays and playing games• Discover through nature and cultural trips and other outdoor activities• Learn and discuss through mentorship programmes and film screenings

Target groups• Participants with past intergroup experiences• The “conflicted middle” with neutral feelings
towards migrants• Multipliers and leaders within communities who canincrease trust from migrants in that community• Young people

THE POWER OF CONTACT

Monitoring and evaluation• Monitoring and evaluation should be
integrated into all stages of the intervention
to increase the likelihood of success andensure results-focused programming

7

2.1. Understanding and addressing barriers toparticipation4
Before designing intergroup contact or social mixing activities, project developers andmanagers need to understand the local contexts and the social situations of target groups.
Very often, migrants arrive and live in neighbourhoods that are characterized by pre-existing
structural inequalities and residential segregation, where opportunities to interact arelimited and stereotypes and distrust between social groups already exist. These inequalities
and segregation reinforce one another in a vicious cycle that triggers social tensions andaggravates the situation of already disadvantaged groups.
Project developers and managers need to be aware that the broader environment andsociodemographic differences (in terms of age, language, gender, economic status,
education and residence) have a significant impact on participation and success of social
mixing interventions. Understanding these barriers before designing and implementing
interventions will ensure that social mixing activities are well-targeted and can encourage
equal and collaborative participation.
As a starter, it is recommended to, inter alia, carry out an analysis on the type of barriers
that may impede participation (such as time resources, traditions, segregation between men
and women, financial resources, lack of interest and potential conflict with other groups)
and the type of incentives that may motivate participation (such as recognition of migrants´contributions, learning of new skills and provision of letters of recommendation). It is
important to consider that different barriers exist and interact at different levels.

Individual-level

Community-level

48Family-level

Institutional-level

Note on methodology: This guidance note is grounded in both theoretical and practical expertise. This section was
created through a review of the existing academic literature on social and behavioural psychology and available project
evaluations, as well as consultation with subject-matter experts from academia and IOM’s programmatic approaches fromthe field.

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MIXING INTERVENTIONSTable 1 highlights some of the most common barriers that both project staff and participants
face in social mixing interventions, as well as potential solutions.5
Table 1. Key barriers to and solutions for increased participation
Barriers5

Solutions

Limited or lackof individual
capabilities andresources

Individual-levelbarriers – whether
financial, psychologicalor physical – canblock access toparticipation.

Provide freeor affordable
and inclusive
activities

Social mixing activities need to
be designed to be inclusive of
individuals with a wide rangeof abilities and disabilities fromthe outset. They need to be
linguistically, financially andgeographically accessible to allparticipating individuals andcommunities. This can be achievedby implementing free and bilingual
activities, as well as mainstreaming
gender and cultural considerations
whenever possible.

Limitedor lack ofopportunities
in community

Opportunities to takepart in social mixing
activities may notexist or be accessiblefor individuals in theirlocal area.

Targetunderserved
communities

To enhance and broaden
the impact of social mixing,
activities should be targeted andimplemented at the community
level, or in areas where there havebeen very few or no opportunities
to interact. This can be achievedby carrying out general community
assessments and consultations to
identify the needs and interests oftarget groups.

Cultural andmotivational
disconnect

Some social mixing
activities may not be
appealing or relevant
enough to draw inpotential participants.
Additionally, culturalbarriers, such as
perceived mismatch
between the migrants
and host community’s
cultural norms andtraditions, could
also play a role in
one’s motivation (orthe lack thereof) toparticipate.

Design theintervention to
be relevant andappealing

By thoroughly researching andanalysing the status differences,
cultural norms and prevailingstereotypes of prospective
participants, project managers
will be able to understand what
could potentially (de)motivatethem to participate. Dependingon the group being targeted, it is
crucial to customize the invitationor promotional materials inaccordance with their demographic
profile and cultural backgrounds.

This table took inspiration from the Theory of Change of the guidance on strengthening cohesion and integration throughsports (Belong Network UK, 2020) and draws on the insights from the principles of intergroup projects (Association
for the Study and Development of Community, 1999), practical guide to conduct barrier analysis (Kittle, 2013) andinputs from IOM missions. Please see IOM, 2020a (IOM internal link only) for conflict-sensitivity perspective on context
monitoring for different but related framework that place greater emphasis on conflict sensitivity. Depending on thenature and objectives of activity, some of the principles and recommendations may not be applicable.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

9

Table 1 (Continued)
Barriers

10

Solutions

Resistance tosocial mixing

This challenge refers
to an individual’s
preference to spend
time with people whoare similar to them(whether they sharethe same ethnicity,
gender, language andothers) and reluctanceto mix with “others”.

Separate thegroups to build
trust and tackle
specific issues

If the situation calls for it, groups
can be separated at first withthe aim of addressing their own
specific challenges (such as language
barriers and preconceived notions
towards others) so that future
mixing is more comfortable forboth the in- and out-groups.

Lack ofbuy-in frominstitutions andleaders

Even when there
is strong interest
from individuals toparticipate, a lack ofsupport and buy-infrom institutions
and authorities
oftentimes limits theconceptualization andimplementation ofthese activities.

Consult,
communicate
and partner

It is imperative that local leadersand organizations are closely
consulted and well-informed about
the intended benefits and impactsof social mixing activities. To sustain
their interest and involvement, it isalso recommended to include themin the planning and organization ofthese interventions.

Exclusionaryorganizational
cultureSome barriers thatarise during social
mixing activities canactually be causedby the facilitatorsor organizers of theactivities. Oftentimes,
the organization
can promote an
atmosphere of
exclusivity or culturalinsensitivity thatmake individuals
feel unwelcome
or reluctant toparticipate.

Foster awelcomingand inclusive
organizational
cultureProgramme managers should
be aware of the variety ofpotential needs that may arise
from participants throughout
the duration of the intervention.
Racism and prejudice should
not be tolerated under any
circumstances or at any pointof the activity. Programmemanagers and facilitators should
be sure to integrate conflict
resolution and complaint andfeedback mechanisms to address
situations in which participants feel
uncomfortable or unwelcome.

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MIXING INTERVENTIONS

2.2. Designing and implementing social mixing
activities to build trust and empathy:
Principles and recommendations
After identifying the potential barriers to participation of individuals and communities insocial mixing activities, it is also crucial to lay down some key conditions and practical
recommendations in designing and implementing these activities to avoid unintended
negative consequences and to maximize impacts of intergroup relations. In this regard,
targeted interventions should be well-designed and adhere to some basic principles of IGCT.
Table 2 draws from a review of relevant literature on IGCT and review of concrete projects
and activities to identify some core principles and practical recommendations for designingand facilitating social mixing activities.6
This set of eight principles and recommendations aims to support project managers, event
organizers and facilitators engaged in social mixing activities to: (a) establish initial trust andrapport between migrants and host communities; and (b) build positive and sustained social
relations and mutual understanding between individuals and groups and forge partnerships
with key actors.
Table 2. Core principles and recommendations for effective social mixing
Core principles

Tips and recommendations• Provide incentives or positive reasons for people tojoin in social mixing activities.

Fun and goal-driven
Designing and incorporating fun
and exciting activities leads to alighter and welcoming environment
for people to meet, mix and build
social connections. At the sametime, setting a goal that speaks to
the interests and backgrounds ofall participants makes the activity
more enticing and participatory.
The goal should be something thatneither group can achieve without
the participation of the other(cooperative interdependence).

6• Develop an agenda and interventions that sparkinterest, joy and excitement for all participants withdiverse backgrounds, capabilities and status.
• Insert some icebreakers and games that would create
lighter and fun ambiance for everyone. For example,
use an interactive getting-to-know-each-other activity
at the beginning with the aim of identifying similarities
and making personal interactions more engaging.
• Set a common goal that has a compelling appeal andrelevance for all members of each group involved. For
example, activities that advocate for social causes, suchas climate change, youth empowerment or mental
health awareness.

This table took inspiration from the Theory of Change of the guidance on strengthening cohesion and integration throughsports (Belong Network UK, 2020) and draws on the insights from the principles of intergroup projects (Association
for the Study and Development of Community, 1999), Council of Europe’s guide on Building Migrants’ Belonging ThroughPositive Interactions (Orton, 2012) and “A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory” (Pettigrew and Tropp, 2006).
The core principles are also based on the inputs and feedback gathered from the academe and IOM staff members who
participated in the Workshop on Social Cohesion in Geneva in October 2019.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

11

Table 2 (Continued)
Core principles

Tips and recommendations• Sequence activities in a manner where rapport andtrust are established first (for example, through theuse of icebreakers), followed by addressing any groupdifferences that are potential sources of intergroup
tension or conflict.

Equality amid diversity
It should be guaranteed thatparticipants encounter each otherat eye level during all stages of
the activity, regardless of groupor individual differences. Poor
intergroup relations in migration
contexts are often rooted in andexacerbated by status differences
and the automatic assignment ofroles of “the helpless” or “theintruder” versus “the helping hand”
or “the defender” (European
Commission, 2019b).

Mutual appreciation
Participants should understand,acknowledge and appreciate eachother’s unique and specific cultures,
traditions and history as part ofthe process to bridge differences,maximize each other’s strengths
and identify commonalities. Suchcommonalities should be approvedby all groups involved and not beperceived as imposed by otherparticipating groups or third
parties (Tropp, 2015; Vollhardt
et al., 2008). It is important thatparticipants acknowledge eachother’s respective strengths andareas of influence and how theircontributions can be impactful
towards achieving common goals.

12• Prevent participants with similar backgrounds from“sub-dividing” into smaller groups by organizingthem into mixed groups. For example, mixed sports
teams can be formed instead of migrants versus hostcommunities.
• Design activities/interventions with the aim ofeliminating as much conflict as possible and drawing on
the diverse skill sets, unique strengths and abilities ofdifferent participants.
• Bring together participants as equals in terms of
power, respect and importance. Contact activities
between superiors and subordinates (such as migrant
workers and employers, newcomer students and theirinstructors) are less likely to be effective in bridging
differences.
• Avoid and flag instances of a “we versus they”
mentality, acknowledge structural inequalities anddiscrimination experienced by any of the groups,
and design activities that focus on cooperation andwin-win results. For example, plan activities that arecollaborative as opposed to being competitive.
• In unavoidable competitive activities or situations,encourage healthy competition and enforce fair andplain rules.
• Divert attention away from social and culturaldifferences during the first instances of interaction andbring attention towards similarities between the groups
instead. Set activities that do not just “preach to theconverted” but engage with persons whose feelings
towards out-groups is mixed.
• Design activities with the aim of allowing participants
to meet new people, even those from the samebackgrounds or communities. For example, use mixed
seating arrangements to prevent participants frominteracting with members of the same background.

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MIXING INTERVENTIONSTable 2 (Continued)
Core principles

Tips and recommendations• Ensure that participants from different groups areequally involved in the design, implementation andreview of activities.

Shared ownership
Engaging migrants and local
communities in the activity at allstages will ensure double ownershipand increase their buy-in (European
Commission, 2016). Suchownership empowers them, raises
their self-esteem and opens up newopportunities for engagement.

• Run a range of activities that are highly participatory
to ensure that everyone feels included and has a senseof ownership. For example, ensure that discussions are
not dominated by one person and everyone is given achance to speak.
• Ensure that all participants will have the chance to
be in a leadership position at some time during theintervention. For example, in volunteering activities,
provide participants equal opportunities to lead andcontribute to specific activities and tasks.
• Assign participants specific roles, ideally on a voluntarybasis (such as notetaker or timekeeper in classroom
settings) that will increase their involvement and senseof ownership of the process.
• Create an environment where participants can freely
speak their minds during the activity and offer a spacefor communication on a very personal level.

Guided reflection
Dialogues and activities that allow
for a certain extent of guided
reflection can help create an
atmosphere that will be viewed
as more trusting, friendly andwarm. Processing information andsharing stories, especially personaland sensitive ones that can evoke
bad memories, should be guided
carefully by facilitators or project
members.

THE POWER OF CONTACT• Guide and encourage participants to speak about theirpersonal stories and experiences, when relevant, which
could build empathy and affection towards others.
• Encourage participants to reflect on what they havelearned by taking part in an activity with diverse
participants. For example, watching movies or aperformance together may be succeeded by mixedgroup discussions with the objective of sharing
impressions, expectations and lessons learned.

13

Table 2 (Continued)
Core principles

Tips and recommendations• Selecting effective facilitators that show strong
intercultural competence and mediation skills is key toa successful activity. For example, recruit competentfacilitators whose backgrounds reflect the diversity ofthe participants.

Trusted oversight and facilitation
Those who are in positions
responsible for group interactions,such as team leaders, facilitators,
project staff or event planners,
must play an active role inendorsing and advocating for equalintergroup relations and creating an
inclusive atmosphere for everyone.
Such deliberate effort is crucial in
overcoming participants’ naturaltendency to group themselves
based on their most salient
characteristics and status.

• Conduct a capacity-building activity with the projectteam, especially the facilitators, in preparation for theactivity.
• Explain at the outset the rules and objectives of theactivity, group dynamics and intervene when required,such as adjusting group memberships or mediating any
kind of misunderstanding or conflict.
• Provide participants enough room to build personalacquaintances. By getting to know someone on theindividual level, there is less tendency to perceive
another group as monolithic and homogenous andallows members of groups to recognize that eventhough they differ on one aspect of their identity, they
may share a common identity on another dimension.
• Design the intervention to be challenging and intense(such as a sports activity or a community art project).
By making the main activity challenging, participants will
stay engaged and motivated to continue to show up
for the duration of the activity.

Sustained and regularintervention
It goes without saying that the more
frequent, long-term and intensive
the participation is, the better the
improvement in attitudes toward
others.
This means adopting an approachthat reframes the role ofparticipants who will then define
the needs of their communities andeventually take part in the designand organization of appropriate
interventions.

14• Run and schedule a calendar of activities (with theactivities planned from the beginning all the way to theend), with a view to capture the interest and habits,
and ensure the continued involvement of participants.
The schedule with the planned and upcoming activities
should include the objectives, participants and dates ofinterventions.
• Encourage participants to continue building theirrelationships with each other in their daily lives andstay in contact once the intervention ends. For
example, create a social media group that involves all
participants of the activity for sustained interaction.
• Create a mechanism for continued contact between
participants following the intervention’s conclusion.
For example, organize an informal social gatheringor volunteer network that allows participants toreconnect and support any future initiatives.

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MIXING INTERVENTIONSTable 2 (Continued)
Core principles

Tips and recommendations• Organize meetings or consultations with institutions
before the event to ensure that they are well informed
about the activity. This is also a way to explore possible
partnerships (for funding, logistics, media support andothers) in organizing the event.

Institutional support andpartnership
Support from institutions (suchas local governments, funders,the media, government agencies
and intermediary organizations)is instrumental in promoting andfacilitating constructive efforts tostrengthen intergroup relations.
These institutions sanction theeffort and can reinforce therelationships or divisions amonggroups. The coordination of suchinstitutions creates an enabling
system that can provide resources
and incentives to promote andstrengthen intergroup relations.

THE POWER OF CONTACT• Invite leaders or representatives of organizations tobecome involved in the activity. For example, invite aleader to speak at the outset of the activity to share
the welcoming words and talk about diversity andinclusion in the community.
• Invite media and journalists to cover concerts, festivals
and other similar cultural events that can help spread
positive narratives towards migrants.
• Design activities that allow for interaction between
participants and authorities.
• Link activities to broader institutional strategies aimed
at improving social relations and reducing prejudice,such as integration strategies, anti-discrimination actionplans and equal opportunity frameworks at the local or
national levels.

15

2.3. Identifying and communicating with target
individuals and groups
It is important to carefully identify and target the participants or groups who will participate
in any social mixing activity. Consultations with the community institutions and leaders, aswell as with existing research studies on social behaviour and cultural sensitivity are crucial
to select groups for whom such types of engagements may be of relevance and interest.
• Participants with past intergroup experiences: The easiest and safest
audience for such activities are individuals with past intergroupcontact activity experiences. In cases where their experiences werepositive, they are likely to enter the intergroup activity with a positive
attitude and focus on the positive aspects of the situation. This
minimizes the risk of possible negative aspects of the activity affecting
the participants’ attitude.

?

• “Conflicted” middle: Activities should also try to engage thoseindividuals whose feelings towards migrants or migration is more
ambivalent or neutral. Studies show that it is easier to shift attitudesof those who do not have a fixed and strong opinion about migrants(Dempster et al., 2020).
• Multipliers and leaders: Another option is identifying the “multipliers”
and/or authorities within communities and specifically targetingthem. Winning community leaders and reputed influencers andpersonalities as partners or participants can entice more individuals
to join because they generally tend to trust and welcome authorities
and public figures.
• Young people: Young people, especially university students, are also
an ideal target group, as they are generally more open-minded anddynamic. They can carry their intergroup experiences into their
future workplaces and other surroundings.

In a lot of circumstances, disadvantaged groups like migrants or refugees might be suspiciousof intergroup activities and other public events. In such cases, it might be easier to approachthem through personal networks or other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working
with them. Additionally, it might also be helpful to reach out to them in their typical meeting
places, such as their respective neighbourhoods, schools or kindergartens.
It is also crucial to identify the communication channels or tools that the target audience use
to advertise these activities. Social media could be used with precaution. Facebook pages,
events or groups and WhatsApp groups could also be created or utilized to disseminate
information/invitations, using fun and enticing communication messages.

16

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MIXING INTERVENTIONS

3. Selected interventions andproject examples

This section outlines the types of select activities that have proven particularly suitable forcreating space for individuals from migrant and host community groups to meet and engage
with each other in a positive and meaningful way.

Digital social mixing interventions
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact human mobility and migration, global
digital connectivity has become increasingly important to governments, organizations
and migrants alike. Yet the pandemic has also highlighted the importance of social
connections amidst the physical distancing measures and mobility restrictions.
Social mixing initiatives from IOM Peru and IOM United Kingdom, for instance, haveadapted events/activities promoting positive relations between migrants and local
communities and community integration online. Activities such as the ones mentioned
below are especially crucial during this time, as the global pandemic threatens to put
migrants and refugees at an increased risk of stigmatization and xenophobia. The
initiatives that follow particularly focus on social mixing and campaigns in a virtual format.
In 2018, IOM Peru launched a joint initiative with the United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations and various national andinternational NGOs to lead a social inclusion campaign for Venezuelan nationals
in Peru, known as #TuCausaEsMiCausa (“Your cause is my cause”). Despite the
COVID-19 pandemic, #TuCausaEsMiCausa has continued to promote social
cohesion activities through their social media platforms, among them an at-hometalent contest for called Casa Talentos. Participants could upload a video of their songs,
dance performances, poetry and more to their Instagram pages with the hashtag#CasaTalentos to enter the contest. The finalists and winners were announced
through the initiative’s Facebook page.
IOM United Kingdom celebrated the United Kingdom’s Refugee Week 2020 inpartnership with Together Productions by launching a new online global music video
project. People around the globe were invited to participate in the creation of thisvideo to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of refugees and migrants to theworld. In the video, migrants and communities filmed themselves singing, dancing,playing instruments and sharing
important moments from their daily
lives. This initiative united people fromall over the world to work in solidarity
together, highlighting the strength andresilience of refugees and migrants.
DISC INITIATIVEDISC INITIATIVEThe Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

No Social Exclusion in ‘Social’ Distancing:
Leaving No Migrants Behind in COVID-19 Response

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

The Power of Digitalization in the Age of Physical Distancing:
Strengthening social connections and community cohesion throughthe digital inclusion and connectivity of migrants
DISC Digest 4th Edition

DISC Digest Special Edition

More examples of IOM’s work in digitalintergroup mixing can be seen in thirdand fourth editions of the DISC Digest(IOM, 2020c).
THE POWER OF CONTACT

17

3.1. Train and volunteer
Sports activities – whether through a one-time match or recurring
ones – are a popular way of bringing people together. Through playing
together in one team, all participants are on the same level, making iteasier to fulfil the condition of equal group status. Moreover, a matchcompels team members to collaborate and rely on each other to achieve
a common goal – to win.
On the other hand, community volunteering has the advantage ofproviding an activity with a shared objective and passion valued by allparticipants. In addition to bringing participants from different socialgroups together, it also brings in a sense of working towards a common
goal for all.

Football match organized in the framework of theEuropean Union-IOM Joint Initiative for MigrantProtection and Reintegration in Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
© IOM 2000/Mohamed Aly DIABATÉ

18

SELECTED INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT EXAMPLESTRAIN AND VOLUNTEER

Example 1: Migrants and local youth associations(IOM Austria)
This intergroup contact activity targeted young migrants and refugees who werereceiving post-arrival orientation trainings from IOM Austria, as well as membersof local Austrian youth organizations. The first step was building trust and raising
the local youth associations’ understanding of the situation of young migrants andrefugees. Secondly, it was important to target local youth organizations who wereinterested and committed to expanding their member composition to include
young migrants and refugees, by exempting them from paying the membership fee.
Previously, get-togethers were organized for young migrants to meet the membersof the associations (such as youngCaritas (volunteering youth association), Austrian
Alpine Climbing Youth Association and provincial scouts’ associations) and increase
their understanding in what kinds of services and activities were provided by them.
These get-togethers break the ice and do away with inhibitions on both sides, allow
for eye-to-eye exchange and prove beneficial to both the newcomers (improving
their language skills, making friends, discovering new hobbies or having access to enjoy
their existing hobbies free of charge, increasing their knowledge and changing attitude
about the host community) and the host communities (learning new languages, making
friends, increasing their knowledge and changing their attitudes about the newcomers
through the personal contact and interaction).

Example 2: The Ball Has No Flags initiative
This intergroup contact activity leverages Latin America’s most popular sport, football,to bring together children and youth in communities in Peru, with high concentrationsof refugees and migrants. There were 337 Peruvian and Venezuelan girls, boys and teens
who benefited directly from this project, strengthening community participation andnetworks between the two groups. An evaluation report by IOM Peru shed light on
the effectiveness of this social mixing activity. Over 80 per cent of participants in thisactivity indicated that they “have more friends from other countries” and “are able toconnect with boys and girls from [other] countr[ies] after participating in The Ball Has
No Flags”. In addition to facilitating intergroup contact through sports, this programme
provided leadership training; 10 Peruvian and Venezuelan youth were certified asyouth leaders to co-execute social sporting classes, while 9 representatives werecertified for their participation in the leadership school. Through sports, participantslearn leadership and cooperation skills through the prism of equality and inclusion tostrengthen values, such as resilience, integration and community cohesion.

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19

3.2. Create and perform
The field of visual and performing arts is another platform whereintergroup contact can take place, either in the form of one-timeworkshops or regular classes. Ideally, these are followed by a joint
exhibition or performance for a wider audience because this increases
ambition, esteem and a sense of achievement, thus intensifying thegroup experience and social bonds in the community. Other possible
formats are festivals, competitions or the establishment of interculturalorchestras, theatre companies and the like.

Using street art to engage with
migrants and community membersin Niamey, the Niger. © IOM 2020/
Daniel Kisito KOUAWO

20

SELECTED INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT EXAMPLESCREATE AND PERFORM

Example 3: Street art for social cohesion (IOM Niger)
For one month, artists, migrants and locals worked together to beautify the cities
of Niamey and Agadez in the Niger by painting public spaces. While the artists andmigrants residing in local transit centres were the primary participants of the activity,
everyone passing by could join the free painting sessions. In this way, migrants andlocals could easily meet, share a passion for art, work together towards a common
goal and be proud of the beautiful outcome. Moreover, the project gave the migrants
an opportunity to give something back to the host community, gain confidence inthemselves and have a positive impact on perceptions of migrants through this visible
intergroup contact activity.

Example 4: Dominican–Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra(IOM Dominican Republic)
Based in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican–Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra
brings together about 50 Venezuelans and Dominicans on a regular basis for rehearsals
and public concerts. One of its aims is to support the integration of Venezuelan
migrants. It does so by including them into this cultural activity and bringing migrants
together with members of the host community to have fun and collaboratively
work towards the concerts. This is especially valuable for Venezuelans with irregularimmigration status who have limited access to opportunities (IOM, 2019d).

Example 5: IOM Panama broadcasted VenezolanIstmo:
Music and Action in Times of Quarantine
Through YouTube Live, this virtual concert aimed to unite Panamanians andVenezuelans through music and art. There were 25 musicians and poets, as well as
hundreds of virtual attendees, who joined their voices to generate ties of empathy
and trust. As part of the celebration for Children’s Day, IOM Panama organized thevirtual camp, “We are the Same” for around 50 children aged 5 to 12 years old. This
free and digital activity included storytelling, song learning and a yoga session. It aimed
to entertain, educate and share in an environment steeped in values, such as peace,respect and solidarity. These initiatives are part of IOM Panama’s #SomosLoMismo
campaign, a joint campaign with the UNHCR, which aims to promote solidarity,
respect and empathy between all migrants and refugees living in Panama.

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21

3.3. Celebrate and play
There is a wide array of activities where celebrations and gatherings
can be made more socially interactive to promote positive intergrouprelations. Possible options include sharing cultural or religious customs,
jointly celebrating important holidays, cooking together and playing
fun games in mixed groups. Through these activities, participants
increase their knowledge of each other’s traditions and customs while
simultaneously offering an opportunity to discover similarities between
seemingly different traditions.

Majd, a 25-year-old Syrian refugee, cooks together
with a member of his new community in Cordoba,
Argentina. © IOM 2019/Angela WELLS

22

SELECTED INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT EXAMPLESCELEBRATE AND PLAY

Example 6: Christmas Eve without Borders, Instytut Myśli
Schumana (Poland)This programme brings foreign and local individuals together for Christmas Eve. Afteran initial meeting during which the matched participants get to know each other,
Polish families invite their foreign counterparts to traditional Christmas celebrations
at their homes. With Christmas being one of the most important holidays in Poland,
this activity provides foreign participants with valuable insights into Polish culture andat the same time gives them an opportunity to share their own stories with membersof the host community on a personal level. Participants are able to develop lasting
friendships through the support of follow-up Schuman group meetings.

Example 7: Kitchen on the Run, Über den Tellerrand e.V.,
Germany and other European Union countries
The heart of this project was a mobile kitchen that travelled from town to town andaimed to bring together people with and without a refugee background. It did so by
providing an open and cost-free space for joint cooking and other community events.
Thus, it reduced barriers for interaction and overcame the traditional distribution ofroles of those giving and receiving help, establishing an atmosphere of equal status
and closeness. Moreover, the residents were invited to actively participate in theactivities, and the local communities were supported through the association evenafter the kitchen container had left (European Commission, 2019b).

Example 8: Cooking Together (IOM Turkey)
This initiative brought together 40 Turkish and Syrian women from host and refugeecommunities to share experiences and bond over cooking activities. As part of
IOM’s WeTogether campaign, the women learned more about each other’s cultures,enhancing each group’s knowledge on the other’s way of life. The shared experienceof cooking together allowed participants to build long-lasting relationships withmembers in their community. Participants reported that they began visiting theirneighbours more frequently and highlighted the commonalities between Syrian
and Turkish culture. Through social mixing, this activity promotes the inclusion andacceptance of cultures to strengthen solidary among community members.

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23

3.4. Discover
Another category of activities are those related to nature and cultural
trips (such as museum visits and city excursions). As with other activities,
these can be realized as singular events or as a series of events, forinstance within the framework of an association. Discovering newplaces together produces shared experiences and adventures, and puts
participants from migrants and host communities on the same journeyof learning new things about the places they visit and the people they
travel with.

Syrian refugees join a museum tour alongside hostcommunity members in Istanbul, Turkey. © IOM 2016/
Muse MOHAMMED

24

SELECTED INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT EXAMPLESExample 9: Safarni Integration Initiative (IOM Egypt)This initiative offered children from different cultural backgrounds living in a culturally
diverse district a special travel opportunity: an imaginary journey, realized by meetingchildren from other countries and getting to know their food, songs, dances, games
and language. This simulated travel experience was accompanied by geography classes
and field trips. This activity helped children who otherwise do not get the chance totravel to benefit from the positive effects of travelling: “It shapes one’s personality,
frees one’s mind and nurtures one’s soul.” Consequently, it taught the children about
cultural diversity on a very personal level and to accept each other by offering a safeand positive space for personal interaction with people that they would never have
met in their daily activities.

DISCOVER

Example 10: A different type of treasure hunt (IOM Austria)
This intergroup contact activity targeted young migrants and refugees who werereceiving post-arrival orientation trainings from IOM Austria, and the youth
volunteering association youngCaritas in Vienna. IOM developed a treasure huntthroughout the most historically charged districts in Vienna, combining knowledge
quizzes (both relating to the country of destination and countries of origin of theparticipants) and challenges that included convincing passers-by to participate (points
were awarded for various challenges, such as selfies and mirroring of statues). This
activity has positive implications on various levels: solving a task together increases
trust and promotes a sense of solidarity while allowing participants to gain knowledge
on various countries in a playful manner and maintain a level of equality. Likewise,
everyone can contribute, which increases participants’ self-confidence and feeling of
belonging. Being able to discover and explore the city one is living in gives newcomers
a strengthened sense of independence and increases the chances of them being more
active members in the host community. Based on the exchanges during the treasurehunt, newcomers were made aware of the possibility of continuing interaction with
their team members through the local youth volunteering association. For this type ofactivity, it is important to know the target group very well, include tasks that require
every member to contribute in and build fun challenges.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

25

3.5. Learn and discuss
Increasingly, buddy programmes with local mentors are being usedoutside educational settings to support newly arrived migrants or
refugees to familiarize themselves with their host communities, build
their self-reliance and broaden their social networks. Moreover, joint
trainings on specific topics of interest to the target groups can be held,
either focusing on skills like conflict management or on more knowledgeoriented topics such as ecology or human rights. Also popular are film
screenings, which can be upgraded by holding mixed-group discussions
on the movie and its topic after the screening.

Workshop on drama therapy held in Amman, Jordan.
© IOM 200926

SELECTED INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT EXAMPLESLEARN AND DISCUSSExample 11: TandEM (IOM Croatia/Cyprus/Greece/Italy/Malta/
Spain)
One component of the TandEM project is a mentorship scheme at selected Italian andSpanish universities led by student associations. Through a one-to-one pairing scheme, local
and foreign students were given the opportunity to meet and share diverse aspects of a
student’s life. The project thus established interpersonal contacts that would otherwise
have taken a lot of time and effort to develop. In addition to the support from locals in
administrative and other matters and increased accessibility to local society for migrants, anadvantage of this kind of intergroup contact was its particularly personal nature that provides
an ideal platform for intercultural friendships. Peer-to-peer meetings were connected toand facilitated other types of intergroup activities, such as city tours or intercultural dinners.
This happened within the community of buddies and the broader student community that
mentees were empowered to play an active role in. Empowering migrants in such a way canhave a snowball effect within their respective communities, making them function as rolemodels and ambassadors for positive intergroup relations.

Example 12: Library for social cohesion (IOM Turkey)
IOM Turkey partnered with the Kilis municipality to convert an old building into a new
public library where youth from host and refugee communities can access educational
materials and socialize with each other. Once COVID-19 restrictions are eased, the librarywill serve as a hub of interaction for young people, allowing both communities to come andlearn about each other’s cultures.

Example 13: Green footprint: Green business andenvironmental entrepreneurship for Migrants andtheir host communities (IOM Egypt)
IOM Egypt partnered with YouThinkGreen to launch an environmental entrepreneurshipprogramme, empowering beneficiaries with the tools, training and space needed to turnideas into innovative and sustainable solutions for a better future. This programme combines
two of the most pressing issues in contemporary global agendas: climate change andmigration. Migrants from a variety of different nationalities worked in small teams with hostcommunity members, coming together to meet new people, learn new skills, collaboratively
solve problems and share ideas. There were 19 start-ups prototypes launched throughthis programme, ranging from businesses that collected cooking oil for biofuel, to projects
that recycled textile waste to produce a line of new bags and wallets. IOM’s mentorship
schemes, workshops and knowledge-sharing opened new avenues for cooperation, thuschanging certain stigmas that migrants and Egyptians had about different nationalities,
enhanced community cohesion and collaborative idea-sharing, and empowered migrants
with the skills needed for long-term economic self-reliance.
THE POWER OF CONTACT

27

Robust monitoring and evaluation of IOM initiatives is crucial to ensure a resultsfocused programming, and provide government officials, IOM staff, partners,
donors and civil society with better means to informed decision-making, meeting
accountability obligations to beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders, and draw
lessons learned for the improvement of future interventions and service delivery.
Football match organized in the framework of the European
Union-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection andReintegration in Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire. © IOM 2000/Mohamed
Aly DIABATÉ

28

4. Monitoring and evaluatingintergroup contact activities
While there is growing evidence of the effectiveness of social mixing activities emerging fromacademic research, few projects that implement social mixing interventions lack a robust
monitoring and evaluation framework. A review of social mixing interventions in the areaof sports, for instance, found that out of 53 interventions, only 2 were evaluated (European
Commission, 2016).
Robust monitoring and evaluation of IOM initiatives is crucial to ensure a results-focusedprogramming, and provide government officials, IOM staff, partners, donors and civil society
with better means to the following:• Informed decision-making by providing timely feedback to management on theintervention’s context, risks, challenges, results, as well as successful approaches;• Meet accountability obligations by informing donors, beneficiaries7 and otherstakeholders on IOM’s performance, progress made in the achievement of results
and the utilization of resources;• Draw lessons learned from experience to provide feedback into the planning, design
and implementation of future interventions and improve service delivery.
In order to improve project implementation and ensure desired results in social mixing
interventions, it is important to integrate both monitoring and evaluation during intervention
design, implementation and completion.8
Engaging in monitoring and evaluation during the intervention design stage is essential, as
it can help to better understand and define desired results, as well as how such results will
be achieved, and how progress towards these results will be measured. Similarly, findings,
lessons learned and best practices from existing evidence, such as previous evaluations, canalso help enhance an intervention design and enrich the formulation of results. Integrating
monitoring and evaluation into implementation can, inter alia, help assess the quality of asocial mixing intervention’s results, as well as its progress and completion stage. Monitoringand evaluation in integration can also shed light on whether the intervention’s desired
results have been achieved, why, to what extent and the impacting factors that facilitatedthe achievement of these results. The checklist and design principles in this document could
be the starting point for gathering available existing evidence, as they identify the key factorsthat are likely to contribute to the success of an intervention.9 In addition, this thoughtprocess could be guided by the techniques of developing a Theory of Change. This would
7

8

9

The IOM Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines uses the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/
Development Assistance Committee definition of beneficiary/ies or people that the Organization seeks to assist as “theindividuals, groups, or organisations, whether targeted or not, that benefit directly or indirectly, from the development
intervention. Other terms, such as rights holders or affected people, may also be used.” (emphasis added) (OECD, 2019:7)
For more information, see IOM Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines (forthcoming), chapters 1, 3 and 5. Please also see
modules 2, 4 and 6 of the IOM Project Handbook (IOM, 2017a).
The IOM Evaluation repository contains all available evaluations and is a good resource (IOM, n.d.b).

THE POWER OF CONTACT

29

not only increase the likelihood of this intervention being successful but also facilitate themonitoring of its delivery, as well as evaluation of its results.10

4.1. Why monitor?
Monitoring helps identify whether:• Planned activities are actually taking place(within the given time frame);• There are gaps in the implementation;

Once the implementation of asocial mixing intervention begins,
it is important to assess whether
it is going according to plan, andwhether it is likely to achieve its
desired outcome.

• Resources have been or are being usedefficiently;

Monitoring is necessary, because
it continuously generates theinformation needed to measure• The intervention’s operating context has
progresstowards
resultschanged.
throughout implementation andenables timely decision-making.
Monitoring helps decision makers be anticipatory and proactive, rather than reactive, in
situations that may become challenging to control. It can also bring key elements of strategic
foresight to IOM interventions.
Monitoring can be particularly useful to identify risks in a timely manner, to allow decision
makers to introduce corrective measures. Like all projects, social mixing interventions carryrisks that need to be carefully identified and mitigated. Some of the risks a project manager
should be aware of include the following:• Participants experiencing the activity as a form of negative contact due to reasons,such as feelings of threat or discomfort, a failure to achieve conditions of equal status
and cooperative interdependence, or the activity providing mere exposure rather thanmeaningful interaction;• Societal instability;• The targeting or social stigmatization of those engaging in intergroup contact activities
by broader social networks;• A lack of political support.

4.2. Why evaluate?
Evaluation can be considered a means to discuss causality in a social mixing intervention.
While monitoring may show whether indicators have progressed, it remains limited inproviding a detailed explanation as to why a change occurred. Evaluation, on the other
hand, looks at the question of what difference the implementation of an activity and/orintervention has made. It answers this question by assessing monitoring data that reflects
what has happened and how/why, in order to identify why certain impacts occurred.
10

30

For further guidance on the Theory of Change, please refer to chapter 3 of the IOM Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines(forthcoming).

MONITORING AND EVALUATING INTERGROUP CONTACT ACTIVITIESEvaluation is also critical in assessing
the relevance and performance ofthe means and progress towards
Evaluation provides practitioners with theachieving change. Effective conduct
required in-depth and evidence-based data
and the use of credible evaluations
for decision-making purposes, as it cango hand in hand with a culture
assess whether, how, why and what type ofof results-oriented approach,change has occurred during an intervention.
evidence-driven
learning
anddecision-making. When evaluations
are used, they contribute not only
to accountability, but also create space for reflection, learning and the sharing of findings,
innovations and experiences. They are a source of reliable information to help improve
IOM’s service provision to beneficiaries, migrants, Member States and donors. Findings,
lessons learned and best practices from previous evaluations can also help enhance futureinterventions’ design while enriching the formulation of results and the results framework.
Evaluations have their own methodological and analytical rigour, determined at the planningstage and depending on their intention and scope.11

Example 13: Scaling the evaluation of change: Learning
lessons from social cohesions surveys in
Turkey and Kosovo12
Pre- and post-test surveys are means to measure the impacts of interventions, ideallycomparing results against a control group or the general population. In Turkey andKosovo,12 IOM implemented pre-tests immediately prior to participants engaging
in intergroup contact activities, post-tests one month after the interventions werecomplete, as well as a single survey of the general population.13 In Turkey, interviews
were conducted with 608 beneficiaries and 798 members of the public. This allowed
IOM to get a sense of, inter alia: (a) general opinion of Syrian and Turkish populations
towards one another in the communities; (b) key differences between the public
and those inclined to participate in IOM’s intergroup contact activity; and (c) general
results/impact of the intergroup contact activities on participants, including types ofindividuals with whom interventions appeared more and less effective. For example,
survey results found that participants in IOM activities were already more likely tohave a positive perception of and have friends or acquaintances among the othergroup than the public. However, the interventions had the greatest positive impact
among participants who did not have regular interaction with members of the othergroup prior to the activity, in particular Syrian women. While the results of thesurvey were extremely useful, because they were not compared against a control
group, it was not possible to clearly determine the effects the interventions had on
participants’ perceptions of out-groups.

11

12

13

For more information on evaluation, please see IOM Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines (forthcoming), chapters 1 and 5.
Please also see modules 2 and 6 of the IOM Project Handbook (IOM, 2017a).
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244
(1999).
For further information, you can read the evaluation reports from Turkey and Kosovo,12 which are currently being finalized
for publication at the time of writing.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

31

Example 14: An exploratory study of the impact of the
Global Migration Film Festival on perceptionof migration and attitudes towards diversity
Since 2016, IOM has held the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF), an annual
film festival that aims to cultivate a deeper empathy for migrants through films
and documentaries that capture the unique contributions migrants make to their
new communities. In 2019, IOM’s Joint Global Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion andSocial Cohesion (DISC) and Global Migration Data Analysis Centre conducted apilot evaluation on the impact of GMFF, surveying over 4,000 respondents from over
40 countries, on public perceptions towards migrants and their understanding of
migration. The evaluation found that shifts towards a more positive perception of
migrants was most significant among those who had no previous interactions with
migrants prior to the event. This evaluation suggests that social mixing activities havethe strongest positive impact on those who previously had little or no association
with the other target group. At the same time, the evaluation revealed persistent“implicit bias” within the festival’s audience. The overwhelmingly well-educated,
wealthy and relatively young audience had a very positive perception of migrants after
the screening (74%). However, only half of the attendees reported that migrants canbe trusted, and slightly under 60 per cent believed that they enrich cultural life. Thus,
initiatives such as GMFF should be targeted towards audiences with less favourable
views towards migration and diversity, and those with less personal contact with
migrants to maximize the positive impact of social mixing.

Global Migration Film Festival in Geneva, Switzerland. © IOM 2018

32

MONITORING AND EVALUATING INTERGROUP CONTACT ACTIVITIES

5. Conclusion: Moving fromsocial mixing towards
social cohesion

The purpose of this guidance note is to encourage project developers and managers tomove towards a more evidence-based and impactful design of social mixing activities. As
indicated in the earlier sections of this document, the impact of well-designed social mixing
activities extends beyond the football pitch, cooking classes or the theatre. As social mixing
interventions purport to contribute to better social relations within the community, it
would be important for evaluations to consider the impact of the intervention on the widersocial circle (family and friends) and broader community (see Annex 2).
Considering time points and levels or scales of impact of a project will allow managers
to assess the impact of their intervention in relation to broader policy goals on migrant
integration, community cohesion or community development. The latter task would
be particularly facilitated if surveys or questions used for evaluation draw on validated
questions extracted from national or regional statistical surveys. This will provide project
managers benchmarks to compare their results against and allow them to communicate
more clearly on how their activities contribute to higher-level outcomes in action plans orother strategic instruments. For instance, the DISC Survey Bank on Migrant Integration andSocial Cohesion provides an excellent pool of validated and field-tested questions from wellreputed organizations and academic institutions.
Where appropriate resources are available, project managers may also consider more
rigorous evaluation methods such as an impact evaluation. An increasingly accepted tenetof impact evaluation is to measure progress against outcomes by comparing the changes
in the outcome measures between participants and an otherwise similar group that did
not or has not yet participated in the social mixing intervention. This kind of approach willallow project managers to better understand the role of participation in the intervention,and the observed changes and impacts in the individual and society in general. One way of
conducting this more rigorous evaluation is to compare the participants of intervention withthose who have not participated (that is, the control group). While this is ideal, this is notalways possible given several practical constraints (Belong Network UK, 2020).
Well-designed social mixing activities are facilitated by a robust monitoring and evaluation
framework and a broad range of external stakeholders. Working with non-traditional
partners, such sports clubs, arts councils and film associations, project managers are toshow that social mixing activities do not only bring enjoyment to those who participate but
also contribute to increased trust and support within the broader community. Institutional
support and partnership will be critical for making social mixing interventions more impactful
and sustainable. To leverage the most from these kinds of interventions, practitioners andpolicy makers need to develop social mixing strategies and policy levers that operate atmultiple levels – individual, community and institutional levels.

THE POWER OF CONTACT

33

“Festival on Safe and Informed Migration” in Agadez, the Niger.
© IOM 2016/Amanda NERO

Annexes
Annex 1. Checklist for project managers and staff
Ten points to consider when designing and implementing intergroup contact activities
Key questions
Is the intervention fun andgoal driven, designed withincentives to participate?
Does it foster a welcoming
environment that is conducive
to building social connections?
Does the intervention
encourage equality amid
diversity?
Do participants meet eachother at eye level?

Does the intervention
encourage mutual
appreciations of each other’sunique cultures and histories?

Recommendations
Icebreakers and games have been integrated into theintervention.
A common goal(s) has been set, which appeals to all members
participating in the intervention.

An analysis was carried out prior to intervention to understandthe types of barriers that may impede participation.
Activities are arranged in an order where rapport and trust canbe established first (for example, icebreakers).
Participants are organized into mixed groups to prevent
subdivision into migrants versus host communities.
Activities are set up to focus on cooperation and win-win
results.
When competition is unavoidable, fair rules are designed,
healthy competition is encouraged.
Mixed seating arrangements and other tools are used to allow
participants to meet as many new people as possible during theintervention.
Similarities are emphasized over differences during firstinteractions between groups.

Does the intervention
encourage shared ownershipand engagement at all stages?

Participants from different groups are equally involved in all
stages of the activity.
Activities are highly participatory, and everyone is given achance to speak.
All participants are given a chance to take a leadership position
during the intervention.
Participants are assigned specific roles, ideally on a voluntarybasis (such as notetaker or timekeeper).

Has the intervention been
designed to allow for guided
reflection and the processingof information?

THE POWER OF CONTACT

Participants are encouraged to speak freely about personal
stories and experiences when relevant.
Debriefing sessions are held after activities to encourage
participants to reflect on what they have learned with diverse
groups (for example, mixed group discussions).

35

Key questions
Have the facilitators andproject members been
trained to provide trusted
oversight and facilitation?
Do they play an active rolein advocating and endorsing
equal intergroup relations
and creating an inclusive
atmosphere for everyone?

Recommendations
Facilitators are strong intercultural mediators with backgrounds
that reflect the diversity of participants.
Activities and rules have been designed based on equal status
and sharing subordinate roles.
Facilitators adjust group memberships and mediate
misunderstanding or conflict when needed.
Conflict resolution and complaints and feedback mechanisms
to address participant discomfort are integrated into theintervention.

Is the intervention designed
to be sustained and regular?

A set of activities is prepared and communicated to captureinterest and ensure continued involvement of participants.

Has the intervention been
designed to encouragecontact between groups after
its conclusion?

Participants are encouraged to continue building theirrelationships with each other after the intervention ends (suchas through social media groups).

Have the relevant institutions
and partners been contacted
for support?

Relevant institutions have been well informed about the activity
and contacted regarding possible partnerships in organizing theevent.

Does the intervention
draw on these partnerships
to strengthen intergrouprelations?

Leaders or representatives of organizations have been invited
to join the activity in some form (such as inviting community
leaders as keynote speakers).

Participants are introduced to mechanisms for continued
contact after the intervention’s conclusion (such as informalsocial gatherings).

Journalists and other media have been invited to cover cultural
events.
Activities have been designed to allow for interactions between
participants and authorities.

Have the appropriate target
groups been identified?
Has the intervention beentargeted towards thesegroups to ensure maximum
impact?

Local community institutions and leaders and existing researchstudies have been consulted to identify groups best suited forthis intervention.
The intervention includes participants from at least one of
the following groups: (a) participants with past intergroupexperiences; (b) the conflicted middle; (c) multipliers andleaders; and (d) young people.
Communications promoting the intervention is conducted
through channels that target audience use.

Has monitoring andevaluation been consideredin every stage of theintervention?

36

Monitoring and evaluation has been integrated into the design,
implementation and post-intervention stages.

ANNEXESAnnex 2. Outcomes in scale and time in social mixing
activities
Illustrative example of outcomes in scale and time
Prior to activity(baseline)

Immediately
post-activity

6 months on

12 months on

Individual

Reported feelings
towards different
groupsReported feelings
towards different
groupsReported feelings
towards different
groupsReported feelings
towards different
groupsFamily andFriends

Family reporting
feelings towards
different groups

Family reporting
feelings towards
different groups

Family reporting
feelings towards
different groups

Family reporting
feelings towards
different groups

Community(within 15–20
mins. walk of
home)

Self-reported
community
cohesion

Self-reported
community
cohesion

More positive
discussion of local
community onsocial media(versus baseline)

Regional andnational

Changes inreported
hate crime within
the area(versus baseline)

Source: Belong Network UK, 2020.

It is imperative to consider the scale or level at which social mixing activities take place, andthe time period in which the impact can be measured. Scale goes beyond individual-level
effects to the social networks of family and friends that the individual is situated in, and thenagain at higher levels, such as the local community, the region and even nationally. In termsof time, it is assumed that impact can be measured immediately after the activity at theindividual and family and friends level, while it will take longer at the community level andbeyond (Belong Network UK, 2020).

THE POWER OF CONTACT

37

Annex 3. Relevant DISC Resources and About theInitiative
DISC Digest

DISC Digest

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion and Social Cohesion

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion and Social Cohesion

DISC INITIATIVE
December 2019 - January 2020

About the DISC Digest, 2nd Edition

February - March 2020
Second Edition

This edition of the DISC Digest focuseson private sector supported initiatives
and partnerships to provide migrants
opportunities for their successful
integration in labor markets and in
their
host
communities.
DISC
recognizes that mobilizing the private
sector creates shared value for all
stakeholders – from the migrants andcompanies concerned, to hostcommunities, local economy and to
the wider society.
IOM focal points on migrant integration at the pilot Strategic Workshop
on Inclusion and Social Cohesion in Rome, Italy on Sept 5 – 6

For the previous edition of the DISC
Digest, click here. This is for internal
distribution only.

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

Initiatives on Employer’s Engagement in Migrant Integration

Publications on Employers’ Engagement in Migrant Integration▪ Guidebooks on Hiring Refugees for Employers (TENT). This series ofguides, available in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, theNetherlands and the UK, contains essential information about thelogistics and practicality of hiring refugees and guidance on how todesign and implement refugee employment programs.

This edition of the DISC digest is the first of a series of updates
covering IOM programming in the areas of migrant integration andtraining, inclusion and social cohesion, as well as relevantpublications and articles globally.

▪ DISC collaborates with IOM RO Vienna in developing a GuidanceNote on “Intergroup Contact” for project managers and staff
dealing with projects and interventions designed for improvingsocial relations between migrants and receiving communities.

Navigating the administrative framework: Employers often lack theknowledge and support needed in navigating the rules and regulations in
hiring migrant with different legal statuses. IOM missions havedeveloped several employers’ guides and offer counseling services for
migrants and employers to improve their understanding and facilitate
the hiring process of migrants.
▪ ‘Tapping Potential: Guidelines to Help British Businesses Employ
Refugees’ - IOM UK▪ ‘Manuel pratique pour recruter un salarié étranger au Maroc'(Practical manual for recruiting a migrant employee in Morocco) –IOM Morocco▪ Conduct of counseling services and sessions for employers on hiring
process for migrants in Migration Information Centre – IOM Slovakia▪ Summary Report at the workshop on “Promoting Good Relations:
Enhancing IOM’s social cohesion programming” in Geneva is now
out: read here.
▪ DISC will soon implement a project with IOM Brazil, Dominican
Republic and Peru to pilot and develop a common measurement
tool to assess and support successful migrant integration in LAC.

Featured IOM Projects
Focus: IOM Projects that facilitate social mixing between
migrants and host communities▪ IOM Egypt’s Safarni Programme takes migrant children on an
imaginary journey to a new country, through simulated travel
experiences and intercultural workshops, where they get tomeet children from other cultural backgrounds and are
introduced to the local language, food, games, dances andsongs.
▪ IOM Greece’s Hellenic Integration Support for Beneficiaries ofInternational Protection (HELIOS) organizes sensitization
activities which include media campaigns and exchange
occasions
between migrants and host communities,
highlighting the value of the cultural diversity diversity andintegration of migrants in the Greek society.
▪ IOM RO Brussels (regional project) COMMIT implements pilot
mentorship schemes where a local mentor jointly designs andimplements with a newcomer a support plan for 12 months,
while working towards building their self-reliance, gaining
familiarity with their host communities and reducing theirdependency on reception actors.

▪ In 2019, DISC convened a total of 9 global workshops andtrainings, benefiting over 200 IOM staff and other stakeholders.

New and Upcoming IOM Projects▪ IOM Brazil’s “Economic Integration of Vulnerable Nationals from
Venezuela Program” funded by USAID to facilitate access toformal employment and income-generating opportunities
through vocational and business training and language courses.
▪ IOM South Africa’s Enhancing Migrant Integration and Social
Cohesion and intergroup conflict between townships throughsocio-cultural activities (football matches, exhibitions,
gastronomic and arts events) and community dialogues in South
Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, funded by IDF.
➢ Contact disc@iom.int if you would like your project to be featured!
➢ Interested to check newly uploaded IOM projects on PRIMA? Clickhere and type the following under “Reporting Area”:
1025 # Migrant Integration; 1026 # Migrant Training andOrientation; 1027 # Social and Community Cohesion.

DISC Digest,
first edition

Check out the Integration Projects Database here.

IOM HQ, INTEGRATION AND MIGRANT TRAINING UNITDISC Digest 4th Edition

DISC Digest Special Edition

DISC Flash Updates➢ For the highlights of DISC activities in 2019: click here or
download the DISC Infosheet➢ For more information: visit LHD IMT SharePoint

Strengthening social connections and community cohesion throughthe digital inclusion and connectivity of migrants

Leaving No Migrants Behind in COVID-19 Response▪ A global pilot assessment of the Global Migration Film Festival(GMFF) in partnership with GMDAC and MCD is now underwaywith the participation of close to 50 IOM missions worldwide.
▪ DISC supported the development of a Training Guidebook for
Local Authorities and the roll out of five Pilot Trainings on local
policy planning and implementation on migrant integration from
October to December 2019 with UK local authorities.

The Power of Digitalization in the Age of Physical Distancing:

No Social Exclusion in ‘Social’ Distancing:
Knitting and tailoring trainees in
Rwanda © IOM 2017, A. Nero

Last year, we have embarked on the launch of the IOM’s Joint Global
Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion and Social Cohesion (DISC Initiative)- a flexible, demand-led and multi-year initiative - which aims toelevate IOM’s capacity and programming to support Member States
and relevant partners in the areas of social cohesion, migrant
integration and inclusion. The DISC Initiative also serves as a platform
to share, learn, develop and implement innovative strategies andinterventions across IOM networks.

About the DISC Initiative and Digest

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

DISC INITIATIVE▪ Engaging Business in Refugee Employment: The employers’
perspective (The University of Sydney) helps understandemployers’ perceptions and experiences of hiring refugees, andhow public policy could encourage or support employers to employ
refugees successfully and sustainably in greater numbers.
▪ Engaging with Employers in the Hiring of Refugees (UNHCR andOECD) delivers a 10-point multi-stakeholder action plan/areas
identified as key to supporting the successful labour market
integration of refugees for employers, governments, etc.

Identifying and verifying migrants’ skills: The diversity of socio-economic
profiles of migrants is both a challenge and opportunity. Taking stock ofmigrants’ formal qualifications, previous work experiences and, moregenerally, of their abilities at pre- or upon arrival is one way of reducing
uncertainties for employers who are considering employing migrants.
▪ Deployment of Skills-Profiling Tool before departure to assess skills
and generate migrants’ personal skills profile with information on
their education, work experience, skills and ambitions – IOM UK▪ Upgrading skills of migrant workers through cross-border and inservice training supported by the hospitality industry through the
PROMISE Project - IOM Thailand▪ Guidelines for Designing Policies to Strengthen Labour Market
Integration of Refugees in the EU (IOM) issue recommendations
and guiding principles toward policy makers for better skills
recognition and employment of refugees and asylum seekers.
▪ Engaging Employers in Immigrant Integration (Urban Institute)
explores conceptual and theoretical strands that guide knowledge
about employer engagement in immigrant integration and ways
for employers to foster immigrant integration.

Developing skills for job-readiness: The skills for job-readiness may becontingent on the migrant’s specific circumstances (e.g. migration,
professional history, familiarity with language, workforce customs etc).
Pre-employment and on-the-job training may therefore vary greatly.
▪ Labour market readiness/on-the-job trainings and internships withtemping agencies such as AFSRU within the INTERACT Plus project IOM Romania▪ Early labour market integration guidelines through the COMMIT
project in collaboration with Adecco Group Foundation for mentors
supporting newly arrived refugees in host communities - IOM Italy

Featured Mission: IOM Romania
IOM Romania works closelywith the private sector toencourage the integrationand inclusion of migrants inhost communities. Throughits partnership with AFRSU,
the largest association ofplacement companies andmember of wecglobal.org, the mission has been instrumental inproviding migrants employment opportunities that best match theirneeds and professional profile. The mission has also forged an
innovative partnership with MasterCard to provide financial educationfor vulnerable groups and with Edenred to develop tailor-madefinancial products for migrants, such as the delivery of financial
support through cost-free pre-paid cards and social vouchers.

Promoting labor market inclusion of migrants in vulnerable situations:▪ Providing vocational trainings and certifications to young
Venezuelans migrants and an incubator for mixed entrepreneurial
ventures with Citi Foundation – IOM Colombia▪ Promoting inclusive working environment for vulnerable groups in
LAC’s leading cosmetic company, Natura through training - IOM Chile

DISC Digest,
second edition

For further information, click this link or contact: Mircea MOCANU –Head of Office (MMOCANU@iom.int)

COVID-19 Information Leaflets for Migrant Populations,
downloadable here in 26 languages. For more tools andresources on how to address stigmatization and ensure
psychosocial well-being of migrants, please click this link.

IOM HQ, INTEGRATION AND MIGRANT TRAINING UNITDISC Digest,
third edition

DISC Digest,
fourth edition

IOM’s Response to
Xenophobia andDiscrimination

Issue Brief on Countering
Xenophobia and Stigma
in the COVID-19
Response and Recovery

DISC Initiative
IOM Initiatives on Countering Xenophobia
and Promoting Migrant Inclusion

The Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

Resource Bank on COVID-19

Leaving No Migrants Behind in COVID-19 Response

Ensuring Migrant Inclusion and Social
Cohesion Amid a Pandemic
As of May 29

DISC INITIATIVEIOM Joint Global Initiative on Diversity,
Inclusion and Social Cohesion

IOM Initiatives
on Countering
Xenophobia

Resource Bankon COVID-19

The Effect of the
GMFF on Social
Cohesion

Guide for Practitionerson the UK Home Office
Indicators of Integration
Framework 2019

Survey Bank on
Migrant Integrationand Social Cohesion

The DISC Initiative is a flexible, demand-led and multiphased initiative that aims to elevate
IOM’s capacity and programming to support Member States and relevant partners in theareas of social cohesion, migrant integration and inclusion. The DISC Initiative serves as a
global platform to share, learn, develop and implement innovative strategies and interventionsin this area.
For more information about the DISC Initiative, please download our infosheet or visit our
SharePoint. Do not forget to check the resources above!
38

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files/our_work/ODG/GCM/IOM-Thematic-Paper-Integration-and-SocialCohesion.pdf.

2019eStrategic Vision: Setting a Course for IOM. Available at: https://publications.iom.
int/system/files/pdf/iom-strategic-vision.pdf.

2020aIntegrating Conflict Sensitivity: An Operational Guide. Available at https://iomint.
sharepoint.com/sites/TRDTeamSite2/Conflict%20Sensitivity/TRD%20-%20
Integrating%20Conflict%20Sensitivity%20Operational%20Guide%20-%20
2020%20(INTERNAL).pdf (IOM internal link only).

2020bCommunity Stabilization: An approach for facilitating progress towards durable
solutions and operationalizing the humanitarian–development–peace nexus:
Lessons from Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Somalia. Migration Research Series No.
66. Available at https://publications.iom.int/books/mrs-no-65-communitystabilization-approach-facilitating-progress-towards-durable-solutions-and.

2020c

The Power of Digitalization in the Age of Physical Distancing: Strengthening social
connections and cohesion through the digital inclusion and connectivity of migrants.
DISC Digest, Fourth edition. Available at https://migrationnetwork.un.org/
resources/power-digitalization-age-physical-distancing-disc-digest-4th-edition.

Kittle, B.
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Maloku, E.
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A Practical Guide to Conducting a Barrier Analysis. Helen Keller International,
New York. Available at https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00JMZW.pdf.
Assessment of Interethnic Contact, Trust and Social Inclusion through MultiEthnic Activities. Assessment Report for Promoting Social Integration andReconciliation Project.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)2019
Better Criteria for Better Evaluation: Revised Evaluation Criteria Definitions andPrinciples for Use. OECD/Development Assistance Committee Network on
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Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe
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Good Practices in Migrant Integration: Trainer’s Manual. Warsaw. Available atwww.osce.org/odihr/393527?download=true.

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Orton, A.
2012

Building Migrants’ Belonging Through Positive Interactions: A Guide for Policy-Makers
and Practitioners. Council of Europe Policy Document. Available at www.coe.
int/t/democracy/migration/Source/migration/EnglishMigrantBelongingWeb.pdf.

Websites and articles
European Commission
2019a Christmas Eve Without Borders [Wigilia bez Granic]. Available at https://
ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/intpract/christmas-eve-without-borderswigilia-bez-granic.
2019b
Ezzidin, T.
2018

IOM
2015

42

Kitchen on the Run. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/
intpract/kitchen-on-the-run?lang=en.
Egyptian and migrant children join together to fight discrimination, promote
friendship. Egyptian Streets, 9 February. Available at https://egyptianstreets.
com/2018/02/09/egyptian-and-migrant-children-join-together-to-fightdiscrimination-promote-friendship/.
IOM Country Office for Austria Newsletter Issue no. 20. IOM Austria. Available
athttps://austria.iom.int/sites/default/files/IOM%20Country%20Office%20
for%20Austria%20Newsletter%2020th%20issue.pdf.

2018aMore than 13,000 internally displaced persons benefit from environmental
clean-up campaign in Somalia. Press release, 10 August. Available at www.iom.
int/news/more-13000-internally-displaced-persons-benefit-environmentalclean-campaign-somalia.

2018b

UN Migration Agency (IOM) launches “Living Together” online campaign forcommunity cohesion. Press release, 19 January. Available at https://egypt.
iom.int/en/news/un-migration-agency-iom-launches-%E2%80%9Clivingtogether%E2%80%9D-online-campaign-community-cohesion.

2019aIOM, UNHCR launch The Ball Has No Flags Initiative in Perú. Press release,
27 August. Available at www.iom.int/news/iom-unhcr-launch-ball-has-no-flagsinitiative-peru.

2019b

Street art for social cohesion in Niger’s transit centres. Press release, 29
October. Available at www.iom.int/news/street-art-social-cohesion-nigerstransit-centres?utm_.

2019c

The effect of the Global Migration Film Festival on social cohesion: A pilot
study. Available at https://gmdac.shinyapps.io/gmff/.

2019dVenezuelan, Dominican musicians strike right note for inclusion, integration.
Press release, 12 November. Available at www.iom.int/news/venezuelandominican-musicians-strike-right-note-inclusion-integration.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2020dCooking Together – English version. YouTube video, 21 July. Available at www.
youtube.com/watch?v=EhIf9CaBTCo.

2020e

Library opens to pave the way for social cohesion. Available at https://turkey.
iom.int/stories/library-opens-pave-way-social-cohesion.

2020f

Refugee Week 2020: IOM UK again joins with Together Productions in supportof migrants and refugees, combat xenophobia. Press release, 19 June. Available
atwww.iom.int/news/refugee-week-2020-iom-uk-again-joins-togetherproductions-support-migrants-and-refugees-combat.

2020g

We are the same joins VenezolanIstmo to unite through music. 3 June.
Available at http://somoslomismo.com/2020/06/03/somos-lo-mismo-se-sumaa-venezolanistmo-para-unir-a-traves-de-la-musica/.

2021

Survey Bank on Migrant Integration and Social Cohesion. Available at https://
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n.d.a

CulTrain. IOM Austria. Available at https://austria.iom.int/en/cultrain.

n.d.b

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n.d.d

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Tu Causa Es Mi Causa: Portada de Inicio [Your cause is my2020
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